Arsenal may want to swoop for Aribo before he signs new contract with Charlton

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Arsenal target Joe Aribo is set to sign a new contract with Charlton Athletic, according to the Metro.

They report that Unai Emery was confident of landing the promising 22-year-old midfielder but Addicks manager Lee Bowyer thinks Aribo will sign a new contract, which should keep the Gunners at bay.

Aribo is out of contract at the end of the season but Bowyer said: “I spoke to Joe last week, I had a meeting with him. He wants to sign and I think it’s just trying to agree with his agent. Joe likes it here.

“He’s learning and improving – that’s all you can say. He knows this is a good place for him to be. The lad is improving lots.”

And Aribo would be a bargain if he was out of contract at the end of the season, but a new longer-term deal would make him far more expensive.

Arsenal could still afford that but a substantial transfer fee may make them think twice about plucking a player from two divisions below in a window during which Emery really needs to get it right.

So a new deal, as well as the player being committed to Charlton for the foreseeable future would be a setback for Arsenal in the chase for Aribo.